Reservoir construction



April 18, 1967 Q :5 i W w .51 f w QM {I 1. a i a i Mi 32w W9? m 4 m f M 3 A OR E United States Patent 3,314,544 RESERVUIR CONSTRUCTION Borge Rosacn, Ann Arbor, Mich., assiguor to The Rosaen Filter Company, Hazel Park, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 29, 1963, Ser. No. 284,794 4 Claims. (Cl. 210-172) The present invention relates to liquid systems having a reservoir and a pump and more particularly to an improved means for connecting the reservoir and the pump of such systems.

In liquid systems it is desirable to provide means which permit the pump and reservoir to be disconnected without undue loss of liquid from the reservoir. Heretofore valve means have been provided for this purpose.

To reduce manufacturing costs for such systems it is also desirable wherever possible to position components of the system such as filtering devices within the reservoir since this substantially eliminates the need for providing expensive housings for such components. Heretofore, however, the difficulty of removing such components from the reservoir for cleaning or replacement and the loss of liquid occurring during such removal have far outweighed any initial manufacturing costs saved by positioning the component in the reservoir.

It is an object then of the present invention to reduce the manufacturing costs of liquid systems by providing a reservoir for such systems having means for carrying a filter member or the like in a submerged position in the liquid carried by the reservoir.

It is another object of the present invention to reduce maintenance costs of liquid systems having a reservoir and a filter member or the like carried in a submerged position in the liquid carried in the reservoir by providing means within the reservoir for carrying the filter member or the like which permits removal of the filter member or the like with little loss of liquid.

It is still another object of the present invention to redu-ce the costs of manufacturing liquid systems having a liquid reservoir and a pump by providing a simply and economically constructed means for connecting the pump and the reservoir.

Still further objects and advantages will readily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following drawings in which FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating one preferred reservoir construction of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating another preferred reservoir construction of the present invention.

Description Now referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a pre ferred liquid system as comprising a reservoir 10. The reservoir 10 preferably comprises side walls 12, a floor portion 14 and a top cover plate 16. The reservoir 10 is preferably partially filled with a suitable liquid 18.

A tubular member 20 is secured at one end to the top cover plate 16 preferably by welding as indicated at 22 and extends axially downwardly into the reservoir 10 as shown. The tubular member 20 is provided with an inner peripheral wall 24. The free end of the tubular member 20 is open to provide an inlet 26 disposed be neath the minimum level of the liquid 18. A petcock 28 is carried by the cover plate 16 in a position to be selectively operable to exhaust the interior of the tubular member 20 to the atmosphere.

A tubular member 30 extends through an opening 31 provided in the floor portion 14 and has an outlet end 32 preferably welded to the fioor portion 14 as indicated at 3,314,544 Patented Apr. 18, 1967 33. The tubular member 30 extends axially upwardly into the reservoir 10. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the tubu lar member 30 is substantially axially aligned with the tubular member 20 and extends axially upwardly through the inlet 26 and into the interior of the tubular member 20. The tubular member 30 is sufficiently long to pro vide an open inlet end 34 disposed above the maximum level of the liquid 18. The tubular member 30 is of a smaller lateral cross sectional area than the lateral cross sectional area of the tubular member 20 and is provided with an outer peripheral Wall portion 36 which is spaced from the inner Wall 24 of the tubular member 20 to provide a substantially annular passage 38 between the inlet 26 of the tubular member 20 and the inlet end 34 of the tubular member 30.

A filter member 40 is removably secured to the floor portion 14 as by bolts (not shown) and comprises a housing portion 42 positioned exteriorly of the reservoir 10 and having an axially extending flange portion 44 extending through the outlet end 32 and into the tubular member 30. The housing portion 42 carries a filter element 46 Within the tubular member 30. A seal 48 is pro- 1\a idegiobetween the flange portion 44 and the tubular mem- The filter member 40 is connected by a conduit 50 to a suction pump 52. An air breather 54 is provided in the top cover plate 16.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated .in FIG. 2, a preferred liquid system comprises a liquid reservoir 110. The reservoir is substantially similar to the reservoir 10 described above and comprises side Walls 112, a floor portion 114 and a top cover plate 116. The reservoir 110 is preferably at least partially filled with a suitable liquid 118.

A tubular member is secured at one end to the top cover plate 116 preferably by welding as indicated at 122. The tubular member 120 extends axially downwardly from the cover plate 116 into the reservoir 110 and terminates in an open inlet end 126 disposed below the minmum level of the liquid 118. The tubular member 120 is provided with an inner peripheral wall 124 and a petcock 128 is carried by the top cover plate 116 in a position to be selectively operable to exhaust the interior of the tubular member 120 to atmosphere.

A tubular member 130 extends through an opening 131 provided in one of the side walls 112 and has an outlet end 132 secured to the side wall 112 preferably by welding as indicated at 133. The tubular member 130 extends axially inwardly from the side wall 112 into the reservoir 110 with its axis substantially normal to the axis of the tubular member 120. A reduced section tubular member 134 is secured to the free end of the tubular member 130 and is curved as at 135 to provide a portion 136 extending axially upwardly through the inlet 126 and into the interior of the tubular member 120. The portion 136 of the tubular member 134 terminates in an open inlet end 137 disposed in the tubular member 120 above the maximum level of the liquid 118 in the reservoir 110. The portion 136 is of a smaller lateral cross sectional area than the lateral cross sectional area of the tubular member 120 so that a substantially annular passage 138 is provided between the portion 136 and the inner wall 124 of the tubular member 120.

A filter member 140 substantially similar to the filter member 40 described above is removably secured to the side wall 112 as by bolts (not shown) and comprises a housing portion 142 positioned exteriorly of the reservoir 110 and having an axially extending flange portion 144 extending through the outlet end 132 and into the tubular member 130. A filter element 146 is carried within the tubular member 130 by the housing portion 142. A seal 148 is provided between the flange portion 144 and the tubular member 130.

The filter member 140 is connected by a conduit 150 to a suction pump 152. An air breather 154 is provided in the top cover plate 116.

In operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the petcock 28 is first closed and the pump 52 is then actuated. The liquid 18 is sucked up through the passage 38 into the tubular member 30 and through the filter member 40 to the conduit 50. When the filter member 40 is to be removed the pump 52 is shut 011 and the petcock 28 is opened to exhaust the interior of the tubular members 20 and 30 to break the siphon produced by the pump 52. The liquid 18 in the tubular members 20 and 30 will return to the level of the liquid 18 in the reservoir 10 and removal of the filter 40 will permit only that liquid 18 still in the tubular member 30 to escape.

The operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 is substantially similar to the operation of the embodi- -ment of FIG. 1 described above.

'could be carried in the tubular members 30 and 130 as well without departing from the spirit of the invention. Further the particular reservoir constructions illustrated could be used without any component carried in the tubular members 30 and 130. The construction would then provide a means by which the pump or other components positioned exteriorly of the reservoir could be disconnected from the reservoir without undue loss of fluid.

It is also apparent that although only two prefered embodiments off the present invention have been described many changes and modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a liquid supply system having a reservoir carrying a supply of liquid, and a pump for delivering liquid from said reservoir, said reservoir comprising:

(a) a housing carrying said supply of liquid and comprising a floor portion, side walls, and a top cover plate;

(b) a first tubular member secured to said top cover plate and extending axially downwardly into said housing;

() said first tubular member having an inner peripheral wall and an inlet end, said inlet end being disposed below the level of liquid in said housing;

((1) a second tubular member having a first horizontally extending portion secured to one of said side walls and a second vertically extending portion disposed within said reservoir and extending into said first tubular member through said inlet end thereof;

(c) said second portion of said second tubular member having an outer peripheral wall spaced from said inner peripheral wall of said first tubular member and an inlet end disposed in said first tubular member above the level of liquid in said housing;

(1?) said first portion of said second tubular member having an outlet end adapted for connection to said pump; and

(g) filtering means removeably secured to said housing and having a filter element extending axially into said second portion of said second tubular member.

2. The reservoir as defined in claim 1 and including means carried by said housing for selectively exhausting the interior of said first tubular member.

3. In a fluid system having a pump, a liquid reservoir comprising (a) a housing adapted to carry a liquid supply,

(b) a first tubular member secured to said housing extending vertically into said reservoir and having an inlet end disposed below the level of the liquid carried in said housing,

(c) a second tubular member having a horizontally extending portion secured to said housing and a vertically extending portion extending through said inlet end and into said first tubular member,

(d) said second tubular member having an inlet end disposed within said first tubular member above the level of liquid in said housing and an outlet end adapted for connection to said pump,

(e) filtering means removably secured to said housing and disposed within said second tubular member, and

(f) a selectively operable exhaust valve disposed in said housing in communication with the interior of said first tubular member above the level of liquid in said housing.

4. In a fluid system, a liquid reservoir comprising,

(a) a housing adapted to carry a liquid supply,

(b) a first tubular member secured to said housing and having an inner peripheral wall and an inlet end, said first tubular member extending vertically downwardly from said housing with said inlet end being disposed below the level of liquid in said housing,

(c) a second tubular member having a horizontally extending portion secured to said housing and a vertically extending portion provided with an outer peripheral wall extending through said inlet end of said first tubular member and into the interior of said first tubular member,

(d) said outer wall of said second tubular member being spaced from said inner peripheral wall of said first tubular member,

(c) said second tubular member having an inlet end disposed within said first tubular member and above the level of liquid in said housing and an outlet end adapted for connection to said pump, and

(f) filtering means carried within said second tubular member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,229,720 6/1917 Cook et a1. 137-143 X 2,358,748 9/1944 Thompson 210-172 3,214,023 10/1965 Donner 210-172 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,030,447 5/ 1958 Germany.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

F. W. MEDLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM HAVING A RESERVOIR CARRYING A SUPPLY OF LIQUID, AND A PUMP FOR DELIVERING LIQUID FROM SAID RESERVOIR, SAID RESERVOIR COMPRISING: (A) A HOUSING CARRYING SAID SUPPLY OF LIQUID AND COMPRISING A FLOOR PORTION, SIDE WALLS, AND A TOP COVER PLATE; (B) A FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER SECURED TO SAID TOP COVER PLATE AND EXTENDING AXIALLY DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID HOUSING; (C) SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN INNER PERIPHERAL WALL AND AN INLET END, SAID INLET END BEING DISPOSED BELOW THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN SAID HOUSING; (D) A SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING A FIRST HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING PORTION SECURED TO ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND A SECOND VERTICALLY EXTENDING PORTION DISPOSED WITHIN SAID RESERVOIR AND EXTENDING INTO SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER THROUGH SAID INLET END THEREOF; (E) SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER PERIPHERAL WALL SPACED FROM SAID INNER PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER AND AN INLET END DISPOSED IN SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER ABOVE THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN SAID HOUSING; (F) SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN OUTLET END ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO SAID PUMP; AND (G) FILTERING MEANS REMOVEABLY SECURED TO SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A FILTER ELEMENT EXTENDING AXIALLY INTO SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER. 